Insulator connector



June l2, 1923.

G. E.' l-:cKERT` INSULATORl COVNNECTQR Filed Sept. 30 1920 I PatentedJune 12,1923.

UNiTED ,STAT-E1s lmariani* .-oFFicE.

ORANDON n ncxnnr, ornasr LirvEarooL, 01110, AssIeNon fro THE aIjTiIOMAsle lSONS col., or :EAST LrvEnroOL, 01110,;` CORPORATION or onto.'l

. INSULn'roR CONNECTOR.'

Application-tiledSeptember 30,1 5920. Serial NO413855 To all wkomz'tmayconcern.'

Be it known that I, GnANnoN E. EOKERT, a citizen of thefUnited' .StatesofAmerica, residing at East Liverpool, inthe .county of Columbiana andState of Ohio, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements inInsulatorA Connectors, .of which the .following is aspecilicatiom Myinvention relates to insulator connectors, and-particularlyto connectorsfor susl pension insulator links. The object of my invention `-istoprovide a connector of the type shown in the l (zo-pending application`of Richard H. Marvin, filed September29,.1919, Serial No. 327,027, withan improved filler pin serving to hold the link ends against accidentalescape from the connectors.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 vis a Vertical section throughadjacent insulator. units, showing their links united by a connector inwhich the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the connector showing the link endsassembled therewith; Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections on the line 3 3,Fig. 2, but showing the filler pin in different positions. In its mainfeatures the present device resembles that disclosed in the Marvinapplication above mentioned, and as there disclosed, is shown inconnection with a suspension insulator comprising units 5 and 6, eachpierced by passages 7 and 8 lying at right angles to each other andadapted to receive the flexible metal links 9 passed therethrough. Thelinks are provided with enlarged heads 10 engaged by connectors 11, towhich the invention particularl relates. Each connector comprises a holow body member with end slots 12 communicating with the lateral entryopening 13 at one side through which the heads 10 of. the links enter,the chamber of the connector. The cntryopening 13 is preferably of asize predetermined with relation to the heads 10 of the'links, so thatwhile it affords a port of sullicient area to admit one link head, itssize is insufiicient to permitthe introduction of both link headssimultaneously. The walls of the connector form wells at opposite endsof the latter in which the link heads 12 are seated in operativeposition, and held against escape. Shouldslack occur lbetween thelinksfhoweventhere is afpossibility that without becoming disengagedfrom' the connector body withl which, however, it is readily assembled.

As here shown the present liller comprises a spring pin passing throughthe hole 14 formed in the body of the connector 10 opposite the entryopening 13 thereof. The pin is shaped from spring sheet or strap metal,and comprises a pair of legs 15 and 16 integral with the head 17. Attheir free ends the legs 15 and 16 are olset to form oppositely angledfeet 18, while the Shanks of the legs are oppositely bowed away fromeach other at 19. To assemble the filler pin with the connector the legs15 and 16 are sprung toward each other to permit the feet 18 to passthrough the hole 14 into the cham.- ber of the connector. Upon releaseof pressure the legs spring apart and the feet 18 engage the inner wallsof the chamber of the connector adjacent the opening 14. In

this position the pin lies out of obstructing position so that the linkheads l() may be freely inserted through the entry port 13 and drawninto the wells at opposite ends of the connector chamber. After the linkheads are so positioned the spring pin is pushed in through the opening14, past the outwardly bowed areas 19 thereof, the head 17 being of asize greater than that of the opening 14 and forming a stop whichprevents the pin from being pushed inward through the hole 14 andbecoming disengaged from the connector. In this position the legs 15 and16 lie between the heads 10 of the links 9 and form a filler elementwhich, while loosely engaged between the heads 10 prevents theirdisplacement into register with the entry port 13, and thus preventsytheir escape from the connector. Inasmuch as thelegs 15 and 16 arepresented edgewise to theheads of the linlrs, the latter can exert nopressure upon the pin tending to press the legs toward each other, andthus to bring about a condition in which the pin can escape trom theconnector. The outwardly bowed areas i9 impart to the pin an over-allwidth, at this point greater than the width of the pin hole ld, and thusailord retaining shoulders l which, in the inserted position oi the pin,

lll

engage the inner margin of the hole and prevent the pin from working outot its inserted tiller position (llig. 3), Between the outwardl bowed.areas 19 and the head i7 ot the pin the legs may be bowed toward eachother to torm a neck 2l which, in inserted position, lies in the hole leand permits the legs to expand, thus insuring the engagement ol' theshoulders 20 with the inner margin of the hole.

rllhe present iiller pin construction is of particular advantage in thatthe pin remains engaged with the connector ll under all conditions,since it need not be removed, but merely withdrawn to the position shownin Fig. l upon the assembly or disassembly ot the linlr heads with theconnector. 'Ehe lineman is thus reminded by the projecting pin that thelatter should be inserted upon the completion ot the assembly ot thelinks with the connector in order to lock the linlr heads againstescape. rll`he pin is simply made and readily assembled, while itedectively performs its function of retaining the linlr heads againstescape from the connector,

@bviously the look pin may be variously modified in shape andconstruction without departing 'from what l claim as my invention.

ll claiml. A Cotter pin tor use with an aperturcd supporting member,said pin being formed from a strip oil spring sheet metal of materiallygreater width than thickness, and comprising a pair of legs integralwith and connected by spring bends to the head end orn the pin, saidlegs being spaced apart and oppositely oitset to form retainingabutments adapted to automatically engage the walls ot .the aperturedsupporting .member and to prevent accidental disengagement ot the pinaiter its insertion.

2. ln a connector of the type described, a chambered body laterallyapertured to admit cooperating link heads7 and a spring locking pincarried by the connector and movable into .and out oit spacing positionbetween the assembled link heads, said pin being shaped to aord a springpressed engagement with the connector in both ot said positions.

3..v ln a connector lof the type described, a chambered body laterallyapertured to admit cooperating link heads, and also apertured 'toreceive a loclring pin, in combination with a spring locking pin engagedin said pin aperture and movable into and out ot spacing positionbetween the assembled link heads, said pin being shaped to afford aspring engagement With the connector body serving to maintain the pin inits spacing position.

d. 'lhe combination with' a chambered connector apertured to receive alocking pin, otra spring locking pin having a pair of legs withoppositely oilset feet adapted to engage the inner margin ot theaperture to hold the pin against accidental withdrawal, a head engagingthe outer margin of the aperture to prevent the pin from being pushedtherethrough, and intermediate oilset leg portions engaging the innermargin of the aperture to hold the pin in inserted position.

5. rlhe combination with a cliambe-red body member having its side wallapertured to admit the head of an associated connector element and beingsupplementarily apei1u tured to admit a retaining member of a cotterformed from spring strip metal, comprising a pair ont legs integral withand connected by spring bends to the head of the vCotter, said cotterbeing adapted for insertion through said supplemental aperture in theside wall of the body member to present its legs with their edgesopposed to the head of the associated connector element, said legs beingoppositely offset and serving to automatically engage the margins of thesupplemental hole through which the pin is passed to prevent theaccidental escapo oiE the pin from inserted position.

6. l pin for use with an apertured supporting member, said pincomprising a pair of spring legs offset in opposite directions at theirfree ends to form retaining feet on its insertion through said aperture,said legs being outwardly bowed in opposite di rections intermediatetheir ends to aliiord retaining shoulders adapted to engage the marginsof the aperture, and the head of the pin being of a size suiicient toprevent the passage of the pin through said aperture.

l, A pin for use with an apertured supporting member, said pincomprising a pair ot spring legs offset in opposite directions at theirfree ends to form retaining feet on its insertion through said aperture,said legs being outwardly bowed in opposite directions intermediatetheir ends to aiiiord retaining shoulders adapted to engage the marginsoil the aperture, and the head of the pin being of a size suilicient toprevent the passage of the pin through said aperture, together with anarrow neck area between said head and outwardly bowed portions ot thelegs to permit the free expansion of said legs on the insertion of thepin through the aperture.

8. l pin for use with an apertured suplll() lporting member, said pinbeing formed its insertion in said aperture, said pin havfrom springsheet metal having a width ing at its outer end an enlargement of suf-Inany times .its thickness and comprising a c1ent size to prevent itspassage through l0 pair of spring legs at least one of which has theaperture in the supporting member.

5 its free end offset away from the other leg In testimonyv whereof Ihave signed my to form a detaining foot adapted to prevent name to thisspecification. the accidental withdrawal of the pin after GRANDON E.ECKERT.

